Counting of votes begins in Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, and West Bengal, with significant implications for regional and national parties.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday appointed Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M K Stalin as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and invited him to form the government after he staked claim, submitting a letter on his election as legislature party leader.
'The BJP doesn't have to do anything except nudge the AIADMK in one direction.'
'The BJP will be the ruling party.'
Actor Vijay's political party, TVK, has significantly impacted the Tamil Nadu political landscape in its debut election, challenging established political norms and achieving notable success.
For Prime Minister Narendra Modi to dig up the perceived past of the DMK rival, now under a new leader in M K Stalin, may not gel with the voters, both old and new. If they are still going to vote for the AIADMK-BJP combine, it will be for entirely different reasons, and despite Modi's poll speeches, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
For a party that has adopted the successful social re-engineering model from Gujarat, Rajasthan and across the rest of the 'Hindi belt' over the past decades, Tamil Nadu continues to remain a tricky customer, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Tamil Nadu government today decided to abolish Common Entrance Tests for admission to professional courses.
As results of the Assembly elections in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry are declared, here's how the big names fared.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's new national team integrates women, minority leaders, and regional representatives to strengthen its organisational structure and national appeal.
TVK chief Vijay and his party cadres have been booked under various sections of BNS 2023, including alleged violation of MCC regulations during his campaign in Chennai for the upcoming polls.
The BJP is showing strong leads in West Bengal and Assam, while actor Vijay's party is making a significant debut in Tamil Nadu. The Congress is ahead in Kerala, offering some consolation amid the changing political landscape in the state elections.
South India's manufacturing, construction, and services sectors are grappling with severe labour shortages, prompting employers to offer attractive incentives like free air tickets and salary increments to lure migrant workers back from their home states after recent assembly elections.
'The feeling is that Rajinikanth is pro-Modi than anti-Modi.'
A keen contest is on the cards for the sixth seat in the biennial election.
'...especially pressure on the rupee, the current account deficit, and foreign exchange outflows.' 'The key question over the next several months is whether the government can prevent external turbulence from feeding into domestic economic pessimism.'
It was also for the first time that the people of the state denied any political party an absolute majority and DMK formed a minority government with outside support from its allies Congress, Pattali Makkal Katchi and Left parties.
The Election Commission has allotted the 'whistle' symbol to actor Vijay's political party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), for the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. Party workers are enthusiastically promoting the symbol across Tamil Nadu.
The Chengalpattu Family Welfare court in Tamil Nadu has postponed the divorce proceedings of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief Vijay and his wife Sangeetha to June 15. The case, initiated by Sangeetha, involves allegations of infidelity against Vijay.
'Tamil Nadu's youth bulge will soon be 70 per cent of the population, many of them smartphone-toting millennials looking for gains more tangible than what screen gods can give,' says Sunil Sethi.
Lack of women in Karnataka's new council of ministers has put the spotlight once again on women's under-representation in politics and policy.
'The financial situation of Tamil Nadu is much worse than it was in 2016.' 'The finance minister's is a horrendous job.' 'I am certainly not going to ask for it.'
The BJP's national leadership seems to have convinced itself that with a weakened, post-Jaya AIADMK for company, they should be able to strike roots before long, and start by winning about 10-15 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, says N Sathiya Moorthy.
DMK Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin has launched a scathing attack on the Congress, accusing the former ally of 'stabbing the DMK in the back' and blaming them for the BJP's consecutive national victories. He exhorted party cadre to 'never trust the Congress again'.
The AINRC-led NDA has won the Puducherry Assembly elections and is set to form the government. Chief Minister N Rangasamy won both seats he contested.
'If Congress had aligned with the TVK before the election, we would have won almost a two-thirds majority.'
The answer seems to be 'yes' since party veterans themselves are questioning the move in the backdrop of the April 24 Lok Sabha polls, even as their hopes of a possible tie-up with Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam seem to have dashed with its chief M Karunanidhi virtually shutting the door despite extending an olive branch.
The DMK has announced its candidates for the upcoming Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, setting the stage for key battles with the AIADMK and other parties.
The patient had a medical history of prolonged illness with "uncontrolled diabetes".
By asking Vijay to produce letters of majority support before inviting him to form the government, the governor risks overstepping established Constitutional principles, notes Harishchandra.
Having a young, untested leader makes sense for the Tamil Nadu BJP. But the new state president's immediate concern will be to gain acceptance within the state unit that is still in the grip of those with a strong RSS background, says N Sathiya Moorthy
Post Jayalalithaa's death, the Tamil Nadu government is in confused state.
Gehlot had on Wednesday refused to deliver the address to the Karnataka legislature, leading to a stalemate over the fate of the customary speech that outlines the government's policies.
Given the subdued pre-poll voter-behaviour in the state over the past couple of decades and more, and the inability of individual political parties to cobble together an alliance and announce candidates, or both, to launch grassroots-level campaigns early on, close fights with landslide victory is an equal possibility, N Sathiyamoorthy.
Former Tamil Nadu BJP President K Annamalai has stepped down as election in-charge for six Assembly constituencies due to his father's health condition. He has informed the party leadership of his decision, citing his inability to travel and the need to care for his father.
"When Royal Enfield turned 100, we were struggling for survival"
The Election Commission has issued a stern notice to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a 'terrorist'. Kharge has been asked to explain his remarks within 24 hours.
A journalist from a Tamil news channel was questioned by Chennai police and his mobile phone seized in connection with an alleged bribery case involving a ruling TVK MLA. The MLA claimed he was offered Rs 35 crore to vote against his party in a no-confidence motion, part of a larger "Meghalaya Project" to destabilise the government. The Chennai Press Club has condemned the police action, citing concerns over press freedom.
NDA constituents AIADMK and BJP have started preliminary discussions for the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. Key leaders from both parties met to discuss strategies to defeat the DMK government and strengthen their alliance.
Former minister M R Vijayabaskar has resigned from the AIADMK, becoming the sixth legislator to do so, reportedly over disagreements regarding potential alliance talks with the DMK. He is expected to join the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK).
